fundraising

Needy patients were the big winners as the 2015 Bloom Gala raised over $172,000 for uncompensated care provided by the medical and dental clinics of International Community Health Services (ICHS).

More than 400 supporters and friends of ICHS participated in the 42nd anniversary gala, held May 8 at the Westin Seattle Hotel, which made for a memorable evening of celebration for the work and achievements of one of the leading community health centers in the state.

ICHS has clinics in the Chinatown/International District neighborhood, Holly Park/South Seattle, Bellevue, and Shoreline, and locations at Seattle World School and at Asian Counseling and Referral Service, and a Mobile Dental Clinic. In 2014, ICHS served more than 21,000 patients and spent nearly $1 million in charity care.

“We are grateful for the support of our friends in making the 2015 Bloom Gala a big success,” said Ron Chew, executive director of ICHS Foundation. “In these times when our health care environment is rapidly changing, it’s more important than ever for ICHS to be able to offer a health care safety net for many of our patients. We can only do that with generous help from our donors and friends.”

He also thanked the dozens of volunteers, sponsors, guests, table captains, and gala planning committee members, who worked tirelessly over several months to stage the event.

During the gala, guests were treated to testimony and video of patients who benefited from ICHS’ services. A highlight was the awarding of the 2015 Bamboo Award for Health to Seattle World School and to Nikkei Concern’s co-founder Tosh Okamoto, for their work in upholding ICHS’ mission of improving the health of Asian Pacific Islanders and the broader community.

Also at the gala, Bellevue Mayor Claudia Balducci and Shoreline Deputy Mayor Chris Eggen expressed pride and appreciation for ICHS’ presence in their respective cities, and called for stronger partnerships with ICHS to reach even more patients within their communities.

Photo Caption: ICHS supporters raise their support card during the “Raise the Paddle” portion of the 2015 Bloom Gala, presented by ICHS Foundation on May 8. More than 400 supporters and friends of ICHS took part in the 2015 Bloom Gala, which raised over $172,000 for charity care for ICHS clinics.

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About ICHS

Founded in 1973, ICHS is a non-profit community health center offering affordable primary medical and dental care, acupuncture, laboratory, pharmacy, behavioral health WIC, and health education services. ICHS’ four full-service medical and dental clinics — located in Seattle’s International District and Holly Park neighborhoods; and in the cities of Bellevue and Shoreline — serve over 20,000 patients each year. As the only community health center in Washington primarily serving Asians and Pacific Islanders, ICHS provides care in over 50 languages and dialects annually. ICHS is committed to improving the health of medically-underserved communities by providing affordable and in-language health care. For more information, please visit: www.ichs.com